Exeter College’s Esports team won a spectacular victory in the British Esports Championships 2020-21 LAN finals this weekend. The finals, organised by the British Esports Association (BEA), took place at the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies’ Metronome venue in Nottingham on Saturday 3 July 2021.

The Championship was made up of three games and six cups, two for each game (Division 1 and 2). The games were Rocket League, League of Legends and Overwatch. 189 teams from secondary schools and colleges across the country have been battling it out over the past three terms in order to secure their place in the final.

“The match kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time.”

Ethan Rapson, Esport National Diploma student and spectator

Each final match was made up of two opposing teams, with Exeter College making it to the final of League of Legends and Rocket League. Exeter College has six Esport teams. Mag.eXe, the second Exeter College team for League of Legends, won a spectacular victory at the last moment.

After a best of three, Mag.eXe beat Bridgwater and Taunton College in a nail-biting finale despite their key player flying back to Thailand two weeks earlier, equivalent to the England team losing their best striker right before a major match.

Mark L’Estrange, Exeter College Esports Program Manager, said: “The team showed amazing resilience because, when all looked lost in the final game, they did not give up and pulled it back from the brink where nobody, including the commentators, though it was possible. That made for an exciting final.”

Jess Ray and Ethan Rapson, who both have Esport National Diplomas from Exeter College, were spectating the event.

Jess said: “We annihilated Bridgwater and Taunton College in the first game, they beat us in the second and in the third game it looked like all was lost, but by some miracle all the stars aligned and we won.”

Ethan said: “Even though Mag.eXe were battling in a single match for over half an hour, they still pulled ahead. The match kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time.”

Exeter College’s Rocket League team also came runner up in the Rocket League Division 2 LAN finals, winning a certificate to go with Mag.eXe’s certificate and trophy.

It has been an exceptional year for Exeter College Esports as this is their second trophy in five months, with another win at the British Esports Showdown in March.

You can find out more about Esports with Exeter College here.